This week, we are on the onset of major global shopping bonanzas such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Plenty of great deals await customers for many major brands and both online portals and conventional malls are gearing up for the huge spend by consumers. As we near the end of the year and are preparing for festive occasions like Christmas, brands are anticipating huge consumer expenditure generated through shopping.
In the past, traditional shopping belts in Orchard Rd used to be crowded to the brim filled with shoppers out in throngs to catch the Christmas lights as well as to shop for festive gifts during the holiday season. With the advent of ecommerce and online shopping, as well the restrictions brought about by the pandemic, this changed irrevocably. Most Singaporeans, especially the younger cohort were already shopping online before the pandemic. The pandemic accelerated the take-up rate among Singaporeans. Online shopping is now the norm among people who do not wish to brave the frenzied crowds in malls.
By 2023, e-commerce in Southeast Asia is expected to reach more than $100 billion. The penchant for online shopping in the region has expanded beyond the pandemic and is only set to grow further.
Therein, lies the question of how to make online shopping easier for shoppers?